Computing device.



G. H. DRAKE.

COMPUTING DEVICE.

APPLlCATiON FILED NOV. '3. 1917- 1 ,278, 3 1'5 I Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

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GEORGE HENRY DRAKE, 0F ROMNEY, WEST VIRGINIA.

COMPUTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 89111310, 1918.

Application filed November 13, 1917. Serial No. 201,835.

To all whom it'may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. DRAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Romney, in the county of Hampshire and State of est Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cour puting Devices, of which the following is a specification. I

Thi invention relates to computing de-.

vices, and more particularly to a device for computing the price of gasolene and similar substances which are sold by the gallon 0r some fixed unit of measurement.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a device of the character stated of simple construction and operation which may be produced at small cost. A further object is to provide a computing device which may be readily altered so as to adapt it for use in accordance with variations in the price of the product sold. Further object will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a device constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view. 7

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the casing centrally sectioned, and

Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section taken through the device.

A cylinder 1 of wood or other suitable material is mounted in a cylindrical casing 2- for free rotation therein. The rearward end of this casing is closed by a disk 3 secured thereon by screws 4 or other suitable means. Cylinder 1 is provided adjacent its forward end with an annular shoulder 5which corresponds in diameter substantially with the interior diameter of easing 2. The cylinder is further provided, at the center of its forward end, with an integral ratchet wheel 6. A headed pin 7 is mounted through the cen ter of the cylinder, the head 8 at the inner end of this pin being positioned in a corresponding recess formed in the inner end of the cylinder. This pin receives, on its outer end portion, an operating lever 9 secured thereon. Lever 9 carries a pawl 11 which is normally held in engagement with the teeth of ratchet wheel 6 by a tension coil spring 12 secured to the pawl and to the lever. By rocking the lever with pin 7 intermittent ro. tation may be imparted to cylinder 1 through pawl 11 and ratchet wheel 6 so as to move it in a counter-clock wise direction. Casing 2 is provided, adjacent its forward end, with an inner annular flange 13 which extends in front of the uter end of the cylinder so as to normally prevent removal thereof from the casing.

The body portion 1 of cylinder 1 is reduced to receive a ring 14 which fits snugly thereon, this ring corresponding in thickness approximately to the height of the shoulder 5 so that, when in operative position, the outer surface of the ring is flush with the outer surface of the shoulder.

Ring 14 is provided, on its peripheral surface, with a'plurality of segments or spaces 15; These spaces correspond with similar spaces 16 provided on the peripheral surface of shoulder 5. Ring 14 is further provided, at its inner edge, with a longitudi nally extending V-shaped member or point 17. This point fits into a corresponding cut-out or recess formed in the inner edge portion of shoulder 5 when the ring is in proper operative position on the body 1 of cylinder 1. By this arrangement, the ring is maintained in predetermined relation to the cylinder and is connected thereto so as to be rotated similarly to, and simultaneously with, the cylinder. As will be noted from Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the annular shoulder 13 serves to prevent upward movement of cylinder 1, and the disk-like closure member 3 positively prevents inward movement of ring 14 so that it is impossible for the member 17 to become disengaged from shoulder 5. The spaces 16 of shoulder 5 are numbered in regular order, the object of these numbers being to designate the number of gallons or other unit of measurement of the product sold.

The spaces 15 of ring 14 are marked to indicate the sale price of the product, the prices marked in each space being, of course, the proper price for the number of gallons indicated in the corresponding space of shoulder 5. For instance, in the device illustrated it is assumed that gasolene, is selling at 26 per gallon, and it will be noted that. .78 is marked in the space of ring 14 which corresponds to the space 3 of shoulder 5, etc. 7

By providing a suitable number of rings,

5, 1.04 for space 4, 1.30 for space these rings being marked to allow for the.

usual variations in the price of the product, this device may be readily adapted to suit changes in prices. As will be noted, the member 17 for connecting ring 14 and shoulder 5 is positioned at the center of the space marked 1.30 and the recess for receiving this point or member is at the center of the space 5 of the annular shoulder of the cylinder 1. By having the rings made with the point- 17 at the center of the space to indicate the price of five gallons of gasolene at a given price per gallon, any one of the rings may be placed upon the cylinder and secured in proper relation thereto so as to accommodate a variation in price. For instance, assuming that the price of gasolene has beenincreased to 35 per gallon; the disk will. be removed from cylinder 2 after which the 26 ring 14 illustrated is taken from the body portion 1 of the disk and the 35 ring placed upon the cylinder in proper operative position, after which the disk 3 is secured on the back of the cylinder so as to close the same. By turning the cylinder 1 by means of lever 9, ratchet 6 and pawl 11 so as to expose the number corresponding to the number of gallons sold, through the longitudinal slot 18 provided in the casing, the selling price may be read from the ring 1% at a glance. This will be clear from F l of the drawings in which it is assumed that five gallons of gasolene has been sold at 26 per gallon, the selling price of the total amount being $1.80 as indicated.

It will be seen that I have provided a very simple and eflicient computing device which may be quickly and easily adjusted to accommodate variation in prices, andmay be produced at relatively small cost. It will be evident that there may be slight changes made'in the construction and arrangement of the different parts of my invention without departing from the field and scope of the same, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claim, in this application in which a preferred form only of my invent-ion is disclosed.

What I claim is: In a device of the character described, a cylindrical casing provided adjacent one end with an inner annular shoulder, a cylinder rotatably mounted in the casing and provided adjacent its forward end with an annular shoulder for engagementwith the shoulder of said casing so as to positively limit axial movement of the cylinder in one direction, a ring mounted onthe cylinder adjacent said shoulder and corresponding approximately in width to the distance between the inner edge of the shoulder of said cylinder and the inner end of the cylinder, the said: circumferential surface of the houlder being divided into a. plurality of spaces and graduated and the ring being provided with spaces corresponding to the spaces of the shoulder of the cylinder and graduated to correspond to multiples of the graduations of the shoulder, said ring being provided at its inner end with an axially extending member fitting into a recess in the shoulder of the cylinder so as to secure the cylinder and ring against relative rotary movement with the graduations thereof in proper relation, and a removable closure disk secured at the end of the casing remote from said inner annular shoulder thereof; and serving to prevent movement of the collar away from the shoulder of the cylinder so as to maintain the securing member of the collar in engagement into the recess of the shoulder of said cylinder.

In testimony whereof affix, my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE HENRY DRAKE.

. Witnesses:

E. J. LoY, D. E. PUGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

